Insecticide formulations in semisolid or solid gel form can be distributed in the environment and generally used in ways to control pests that may not be possible or practical with powdered or liquid insecticide compositions. For example, controlled release of insecticidal actives, such as a slow-time release, can be possible by formulating an insecticide active into a gel matrix.
Gelled ant baits generally achieve nest kill by providing a food source together with a slow-acting insecticidal active such that the ants or roaches feed and bring the actives back to the nest. Gelled baits are convenient because of the spill proof nature of a polymer gel matrix, making this physical form ideal for incorporation in plastic bait stations that necessarily have open access ports, and into syringes for safe consumer application.
Ants prefer to feed on sources of sugar water such as nectar and insect honeydew. Therefore, ants generally prefer liquid (e.g., water) based bait systems over other bait forms such as gels or solids. However, liquid baits spill easily and can leak and create untidiness in the environment in which they are located. Additionally, since ant nests or other pest nests, such as cockroach nests (e.g., American cockroaches) can be located in large areas in an outdoor environment (e.g., outside a home, office building, commercial building, in a park, etc.), there is a need to provide a liquid based system that does not spill or leak, as well as a need to provide a system that can be easily broadcast to increase the chance of interaction with pests in the environment. Thus, what is needed are forms of insecticidal baits, besides solid amorphous masses, which retain sufficient amounts of water and a food source to promote continuous and direct feeding by insects over extended periods of time.
Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the insecticidal feeding beads disclosed herein will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.